Chapter 6 – Regaining the Bodies
As the battle was about to start, Ash smirked at the dragons, feeling certain that was going to emerge victorious.
"Is everyone ready?" Cynder asked the dragons.
"I'm feeling a bit worried," said Draco. "Ash is in your body, so there's no doubt that she would be virtually unstoppable."
"Relax, Draco," said Cynder. "She doesn't really know how to use my body properly to the full extent, so she shouldn't present that much of a problem."
"Even if I'm a pacifist, I'm going to help take down this menace," said Percival as he unsheathed his sword.
"Good call!"
"We're going to fight that impostor to the bitter end!" declared Jakkin and Torden.
"Me too!" said Lily.
"You've got our backs, Cynder," said Charonus.
"That makes seven of us, alright," said Cynder. "If only Draco could come through instead of being fearful."
"Oh, boy, I can hardly wait to see how the fight plays out!" exclaimed Darky.
"Just stay by my side, Darky," said Bowser as he brought the little dragon close to him while they, Tails and Blaze kept their distance from the fray. "By the looks of it, this is going to be one big battle."
"Yeah, no kidding," said Tails.
"It has really come to this," said Blaze. "A battle that will determine the fate of everything we hold dear, as I could sense that Ash has so much of her mother within."
"Will they succeed?" asked Darky.
"I don't know," replied Blaze. "But I could only hope that they can, and they might if they work together like rightfully so."
"It's a real pity, Cynder," said Ash. "You could have joined me, and together we could rule the world as the two most powerful Twilight Storms to have ever lived, but seeing that you have no drive and ambition, it is too late for that to become a reality."
"There's no way I'll ever join you, Ash," said Cynder coolly. "You have committed many heinous crimes, you've made us suffer, and your attitude towards mammals is something that cannot be overlooked."
"Talk, that's all you ever know," retorted Ash. "I'm going to finish you and your friends off, and I'll see to it that your deaths will not be pretty."
"Fine, let's get this over with!" said Cynder.
So the battle finally began, and Cynder's group took on Ash in the hopes of weakening her to the point that she would use her mind switch spell. Draco stood in uncertainty, feeling worried as he knew that they were fighting Ash in Cynder's body.
"What's eating you, Draco?" asked Bowser. "Don't you realise your friends need help?"
"I know that," said Draco, slowly. "But, I'm afraid…"
While the fight raged on, Ash was starting to get overwhelmed by the combined strength of Cynder and her friends.
"This can't be happening," she said, feeling very puzzled. "I should be the most powerful dragon in this body, but I can't seem to feel my maximum strength. What is going on here?"
"You just don't get it, Ash," said Charonus. "You clearly have no balance in yourself, as you only lust for power. It's only through aligning balance in your mind, body, and soul that enables you to achieve your true power, and that is something Cynder has learned and told you about earlier on."
"I do not believe in that crap!" hissed Ash. "Might makes right, and you know it! My mother has shown me that, and she has proven herself to be the most powerful dragoness before the Obsidian Devourers failed her, which led her to her death!"
"Your mother died because she failed to find balance within herself," said Cynder. "She let her anger, hatred and prejudice take control of her very being, and the same thing will happen to you if you carry on that mindset and ideology."
"Enough of this!" shouted Ash as she seethed with anger. Furiously, she delivered a full charged Plasma Burst attack that knocked Cynder down to the ground.
Everyone gasped with horror, including Draco, who was petrified with fear and anger that was welling deep inside. Ash then started attack Percival and Lily. The two dragons tried to defend themselves, but they were not quick enough, and Ash pounded them into submission.
"Come on, Draco!" urged Charonus. "Can't you see we need you for this fight?"
"Draco, snap out of it and help us!" shouted Torden.
Draco continued to watch the fight, feeling unsure of what to do, but as he saw the fallen Cynder, Percival, and Lily, and then looked up to the remaining dragons struggling against the transformed Ash, his hidden anger grew more intense.
This isn't Cynder, he thought to himself. This is the dragoness who tried to trap us in a cave, mocked my girlfriend, attempted to destroy a stadium, possessed Lily into forcing me to clean her house so that I would be distracted, and now she had the audacity to steal Cynder's body! Well this time, she has gone too far!
Furious, Draco let off a loud roar, which made everyone focus on him. He then charged towards Ash, delivered a strong kick before slashing away at her, and finally letting off a powerful Flamethrower, sending the evil dragoness crashing down into the ground. Draco panted as he stared down to the cloud of dust that covered the battlefield. Charonus, Torden, and Jakkin were surprised, even Tails, Blaze, Bowser, Darky, and the downed dragons.
"Whoa, Draco, that was amazing!" exclaimed Charonus. "You really pulled it off!"
"You're very good at showin' that ya had it in ya," smiled Jakkin. "Way to go, Draco!"
The others cheered on Draco, but when the dust cloud settled, they all could see Ash was still standing, battered but not beaten as she sniggered malevolently.
"So, the cowardly Charizard does have some backbone after all," she said. "I'm very impressed, but that's not enough to stop me!"
"Oh no, this is not good!" groaned Draco. "This was the strongest that I delivered, but now that I've calmed down, I can't be able to tap on that strength within me!"
"Try to get that power back, Draco!" called Charonus. "Maybe the second time would topple Ash for good!"
"I – I can't!" cried Draco. "It has escaped me yet again!"
"Absolutely boring," Ash yawned. "This body is starting to become dissatisfying for me, so I might as well try to steal another one!"
"Say what?" exclaimed everyone.
While everyone looked at Ash with bewilderment, the Twilight Storm looked around, searching for someone who would be much stronger, and she did not care for the gender as long as she believed she will gain the strength of her next victim. Soon, she stared at Jakkin, and already she developed a hungry look in her eyes.
"That farmer dragon seems to be the strongest by far," she grinned to herself. "Yes, I can sense it already. It's time to begin the mind switch spell!"
Cynder noticed Ash staring at Jakkin with her devious grin, and she could tell what she was planning. Now it was her chance to get her body back, but she knew that she would have to act fast, because if Ash succeeded in swapping bodies with Jakkin, everyone was going to be in serious trouble.
"What is that impostor up to now?" pondered Jakkin.
In an instant, Ash spread her arms out, ready to cast her spell again. She laughed maniacally, feeling certain that she would be indestructible.
"CHANGE NOW!" she yelled through the top of her lungs.
With that, Ash flashed very brightly, blinding everyone in the area. Luckily, Cynder fended off against the strobes, and desperately, she leapt into the air and quickly positioned herself below Jakkin just in time. Ash noticed this, and tried to cancel the spell, but it was too late. Cynder got bounded by the invisible force, and as the sickly sucking noise began, she felt the burning sensation in her brain. Even though the pain intensified, she endured it, knowing that she was about to be back in her body. After the strobes flashed faster followed by everything whitening around, there was a popping sound, and when the scenery finally cleared up, everyone was wondering what just happened. Ash's body was still hovering in the air, with the paws planted on the face, while Cynder's body had collapsed, lying still after the mind switch spell was casted. Then the Twilight Storm began to stir, and this caused everyone to be alert.
"Oh!" groaned Cynder as she got up, and when she opened her eyes, she was elated to find herself back in her old body, despite being bruised. "Yes, I'm me again!"
"Welcome back, Cynder!" cheered Draco as he hugged and kissed her.
Cynder blushed and returned the favour to Draco.
"No, my evil plan is ruined!" groaned Ash when she found herself back in her old body. She landed to the ground, glaring angrily at Cynder. "You're going to pay dearly for this!"
"Well then, bring it on!" declared Cynder. "The seven of us can take you out!"
Although she was initially angry, Ash started to snicker nastily, for she had one more trick up her sleeve that she was yet to show to Cynder and her friends, but she was biding her time until she was ready.
"You fools don't get it, do you?" she cackled. "You are yet to witness my full power! Aren't you curious to see it?"
Cynder said nothing as the other dragons came to her side. Despite hearing Ash's claims about having a more powerful form, they were not fazed in the slightest, though Draco flinched a little.
"Whether we see how powerful you really are, we're going to give it everything we got, against all odds," said Cynder as she bravely fixed her eyes on Ash.
Tails, Blaze, Bowser, and Darky looked on anxiously as the dragons resumed their fight. Now that know that Ash was hiding her true power, they could tell that the real battle was about to begin, and the outcome would determine the fate of the world.
To Be Continued…
25 stories done! Well, Cynder and Ash are back in their original bodies, but this is just the beginning. The stage is set for the ultimate showdown against the evil albino Twilight Storm princess! Can Cynder and her friends succeed? The second part will be coming soon, which is also the finale for season 2! Get ready to find out all the answers in the thrilling conclusion of the Princess Ash saga!